The Choice of Books By Charles F. Richardson Professor of English in Dartmouth College Authorized Edition, Revised Together with Suggestions for Libraries Selected Lists of Books of Reference, History, Biography, and G. P. Putnam's Sons T PREFACE HE chapters composing this handbook were originally printed as weekly contributions to a literary newspaper in 1880 and 1881, and were gathered into book form in the latter year. An English reissue and a Russian translation soon followed. Owing to an accidental loss of copyright the many subsequent American editions, bearing various imprints, have been beyond the author's control; but he has taken pleasure in the fact that the treatise has apparently continued to be helpful, notwithstanding the later appearance of many excellent works of similar purpose. In the present issue many new pages have been added, while the less essential portions of the earlier editions have been dropped. The author has preferred, however, to retain the general plan and method unchanged, as having proved to be of practical service. Direct usefulness has been kept in mind, rather than the endeavour to present a sheaf of essays concerning literary themes. |